DISMALIA

Welcome to DISMALIA.

An exciting new series of horror fantasy fiction created by José Maldonado in collaboration with godofallthings. The upcoming anthology of novellas DISMALIA HUNTS. Which shall be the first of many thrilling adventures that we cannot wait to share with you!

What you will discover here is the culmination from years of world-building and the exploration of wild and strange ideas, revolving around the philosophy of demon slaying, the macabre and the events that bring us to war.

I have always been fascinated by the iconography of demons throughout the history of art and media. The theme of good versus evil, light versus dark, is as old as time itself. DISMALIA was born from a great desire to take those themes to their absolute limit.

This world I have created is home to many biologically enhanced slayers, whose sole purpose in life is to battle monstrous creatures from the unknown in order to harvest their remains as resources and nurture their struggling economy. The very same industry that they feed, develops weaponry and enhancers to aid them in their war.

It is a vicious cycle that grows more visceral and brutal with each generation. Both demon and mankind fight tirelessly to outmatch and control one another, through tactics, nature and brute force.

Although we say "horror / fantasy" in our introduction, these stories aren't strictly bound to a specific genre in particular. I have always loved classic fantasy, but I believe in the potential for it to be expanded into weirder frontiers.

With some twisting and distortion of familiar environments, DISMALIA is an uncanny and alien fantasy in which you are granted an intimate perspective through the lives of gruesome warriors living in this world, discovering the humanity and emotion among the dismal and unforgiving.

DISMALIA is, at its thematic core, also a story about emotion. You will find that each slayer has their own philosophy and reasoning for why they slay demons, which they tend to express in combat. Their allies and prey judge that very philosophy. Demon slayers are flawed, strange and passionate individuals, after all.

The word is presented as a fusion of a mythological epic and the monotonous chore of a daily job. That is the contrast in DISMALIA regarding demon slaying. A heroic and daring pursuit to us, yet mundanity to them.

I enjoy indulging in these contrasting concepts and find joy in sculpting them into a living world. One grounded with the absurd logic that unhinged alchemists would try to explain it with, and the demons whose influence make the world more and more surreal by each day.

Join us to read new and exciting tales of demon hunters, monstrous battles, dark sciences and strange characters. We journey into DISMALIA with plentiful lore, character + creature illustrations, sketches and concept art.